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When I try to paint skin I often find I struggle to get decent coverage either the paint obscured the detail even when quite thin, or it leaks everywhere and seems to barely cover the model underneath. This is especially a problem when using a black undercoat.

Does anyone have any tips for painting faces and for ensuring your paint is of a good consistency?

What's your procedure when painting?

I for one start with brown (over black undercoat) and then build up with lighter tones.

If you aren't getting good coverage with one coat you are doing something right. I always always water my paints down. I never paint straight from the pot. I'd suggest painting 3-4 even coats of thinned down paint for whatever it is you are painting. Be patient. Wait for the first coat to dry before painting the next. You'll soon see that your finished basecoats are more opaque smooth and more detail is clearly displayed. The more advanced you become as a painter the more water you'll be adding to your mixes.

Hope that helps
BB

I dont really have a much of one. Only painted a handful of models all together.

I have been trying to paint flesh directly onto black, which may be part of the problem.

I prime white because I hate painting over black.

However as for the paint running into the eyes and obscuring detail... I paint the face, then while the paint is still wet take a brush that is dry and wipe it in the eye recesses to wick away excess paint.

ymmv of course but it works a treat for me.


With black you have to build up gradually to your desired color. (ie paint an area grey before you paint it white. Or paint several thin layers of increasingly lighter shades of brown before a thin layer of your desired color, then wash.

Since its a small area you might be able to get away with only 1 or 2 thin brown layers before your desired color. Its a bit of a pain but the layering effect is often pretty boss.

Here's a GW PDF

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2570007_PaintingFacesMasterclass.pdf

Another one

http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m820035a_Painting_Faces_Redux.pdf



As usual google is your weapon of choice here. Look at more examples to get more idea's/better grasp on things.

I start with an undercoat of Dark Flesh (not sure what the latest version of that is), then a thin coat of whatever base skin tone I'm going to use, then highlight up from there. Works a heck of a lot better than trying to basecoat over black.

My standard flesh process is: bugmans glow base over a primer. Then I layer up bugmans glow with Vallejo elf flesh, adding more per layer. I then wash it down the new GW yellow wash (Something camoshade) followed by a highlight of Vallejo elf flesh. This is for a plagued look. If you want a normal look, replace the wash with the Devlan mud replacement, or Devlan mud if you have any.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

I am painting ashigaru and samurai so its asian flesh I am trying to replicate.

 carlos13th wrote:
Thanks for the help so far guys.

I am painting ashigaru and samurai so its asian flesh I am trying to replicate.

If it's asian flesh, water down the yellow wash and go a bit paler than what I suggested. Don't use pure white, use an off white to layer it up.


I will point out that I've pained asian flesh once, and it was on Yamaziko. I did use that method though.